For a lot of us, Sunday’s game works as an excuse to go big on all the jalapeno poppers, nachos and Buffalo wings that can fit into four quarters. Though such bar-style favorites will never, ever get old, switch it up a little this year with bite-size snacks that pack a surprise on the inside, stuffing a whole lot of flavor in one little bite.

When you have a hankering for some serious comfort, a bowl of steamy macaroni and cheese is perhaps the only way to go. But before you put a from-the-box take on mac on the stove — or, dare we say, in the microwave — stir together a cheesy, comforting bowl of macaroni and cheese the from-scratch way. These mac and cheese recipes from your favorite Food Network chefs should help the cause.

The best things in life don’t need to be fiddled with, and Tyler Florence’s recipe for classic Macaroni and Cheese is creamy, dreamy proof. With elbow macaroni, grated cheddar, and a little depth from dry mustard and thyme, Tyler’s dish is a go-to recipe to have in your arsenal.

Break out the tortillas (and more unexpected ingredients) for rolled and wrapped game-day appetizers that will be met with resounding cheers. These make-ahead, bite-size riffs on game-day favorites are easy to make and even easier to eat, so you won’t be spending your game-day viewing party holed up in the kitchen.

When we talk out-of-the box pizza, we’re not about to lay down newfangled topping ideas or totally avant-garde ways to make the perfectly crispy crust. In fact, we’re scrapping the current way you take your pizza altogether. Instead of devouring it by the slice day in and day out, get your fix in alternative ways. These riffs on our favorite pie pack all of that pizza flavor in a different kind of package:

1. When you’re watching the big game or having a gathering with friends, dip is the name of the game. Ultra-cheesy Supreme Pizza Dip (pictured above) has the works, with pepperoni, onions, bell peppers and a hearty tomato sauce to boot. It’s topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses that leave the oven melted and bubbly, and scooping it all up with a crusty baguette will immediately transport you to your local pizzeria.

10-Minute White Bean Soup with Toasted Cheese and Tomato
For a super-flavorful base, steep chicken broth with sprigs of rosemary for even just a few minutes to add depth and flavor to this creamy soup. Quick-toast the sandwich under the broiler and serve it bruschetta style with juicy chopped tomatoes. You’ll find that it’s the perfect soup dipper.

While the fast food of your past might have involved burgers, fries and a heap of grease, a new age of fast-eating chains is upon us, featuring on-the-go grub that’s fresher than ever. Next time your jam-packed schedule doesn’t allow time for a homemade meal, keep these eight innovative chains in mind. They’re changing the game and proving it’s possible to eat healthy on the run. Here are just a few of our favorites:

Sweetgreen
If you’re looking to eat healthy, chances are a salad is in your near future. While prepackaged grab-and-go salads are inevitably wilted, this D.C.-based chain (pictured above) creates your salad on the spot with fresh-as-can-be ingredients that are as local as it gets. Instead of settling on another sad kale salad, dig into the Spicy Sazbi, a good-for-you mix of baby spinach, shredded kale, quinoa, broccoli, carrots, raw beets, basil, sprouts, roasted tofu that’s dressed with a carrot-chile vinaigrette, and Sriracha. Visit one of the outposts in Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania or Virginia, and don’t be surprised when you start craving salads for lunch.

Today kicks off the very first week of the annual Comfort Food Feast series. If you’re bundled in sweaters and scarves like many of us, can you think of a better way to greet January than with the comfort of a hot casserole? This week, serve your family hearty, crowd-pleasing casserole recipes that are just what the dead of winter calls for.

A heaping plate of cheesy spaghetti would be comforting on its own, but Ree Drummond’s Chicken Spaghetti is a baked pasta dish that leaves the oven nice and bubbly. Strewn with tender morsels of chicken and made even creamier with mushroom sauce, Ree’s dish is fixed with broken pieces of spaghetti so it’s extra-easy to eat.

Whether we’re cutting carbs, going gluten-free or scaling back on sodium, fewer loaves of bread are landing in our shopping carts these days. But what does that mean for our favorite hand-held meal, the sandwich? Though you might think that a sandwich, by definition, requires two slabs of bread, these breadless creations prove your sandwich days are far from over. Cutting out the loaves, buns and slices? These ingenious substitutes are the best things since sliced bread:

Now that you’ve knocked back your last glass of celebratory champagne, it’s time to put all that talk of a happy, healthy new year into practice. This year, take advantage of A Year of Smoothies, ready to take you from January back to December. Dynamic, satisfying and healthy, each of these 12 blended beauties gives you every reason to make your blender an always-on-the-counter staple in your kitchen. Plus, if you happen to crave August’s smoothie in February, the frozen aisle at your supermarket makes it easy to blend fruits that aren’t yet in season.

The rest of your holiday may not be textbook-traditional, but including these desserts in your spread will give your holiday the look of a storybook Christmas. This year, serve your guests traditional Christmas favorites that are as iconic as your lit Christmas tree or the stockings hanging on your mantel.

When they finally make it to the dessert round, friends and family will gasp at the sight of this classic Buche de Noel (pictured above), or French yule log cake. Complete with marzipan figures of berries, pinecones and mushrooms, this sweet rolled cake starts with rich chocolate genoise (sponge cake) that’s rolled in coffee- and brandy-flavored buttercream. With its fairy-tale looks, it may be difficult to slice into the finished log and reveal all its layers, but we’re sure you’ll find a way.

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